diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2afab086..1346697a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ minversion = "7.0"
 addopts = """
 --strict-config
 --strict-markers
+--import-mode=importlib
 -ra
 -v
 """
diff --git a/tests/loki/directbeam_test.py b/tests/loki/directbeam_test.py
index d7ce5115..179c942b 100644
--- a/tests/loki/directbeam_test.py
+++ b/tests/loki/directbeam_test.py
@@ -1,16 +1,20 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright (c) 2023 Scipp contributors (https://github.com/scipp)
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable, List
 
 import sciline
 import scipp as sc
-from common import make_params
 from scipp.scipy.interpolate import interp1d
 
 import esssans as sans
 from esssans.loki.data import get_path
 from esssans.types import DimsToKeep, QBins
 
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent))
+from common import make_params  # noqa: E402
+
 
 def _get_I0(qbins: sc.Variable) -> sc.Variable:
     Iq_theory = sc.io.load_hdf5(get_path('PolyGauss_I0-50_Rg-60.h5'))
diff --git a/tests/loki/iofq_test.py b/tests/loki/iofq_test.py
index 4cc8675f..8610dcda 100644
--- a/tests/loki/iofq_test.py
+++ b/tests/loki/iofq_test.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright (c) 2023 Scipp contributors (https://github.com/scipp)
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable, List
 
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
 import sciline
 import scipp as sc
-from common import make_params
 
 import esssans as sans
 from esssans.types import (
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@
     WavelengthBands,
 )
 
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent))
+from common import make_params  # noqa: E402
+
 
 def loki_providers() -> List[Callable]:
     return list(sans.providers + sans.loki.providers)